New law requiring Facebook, Google to pay for news draws praise, criticism
CBC
The passage of the federal government's controversial Online News Act has highlighted division over the law as tech giant Meta said it will block news on its social media platforms in response to the legislation.
Bill C-18 received royal assent after a final vote in the Senate on Thursday. The law will compel certain tech companies to pay for news content that they share on their platforms.
Meta announced in a news release following the act's passage that it will block news for Canadian users in order to comply with the law, and will do so before C-18 comes into effect in six months, though it hasn't given a date.
In an interview with CBC News Network's Rosemary Barton Live, Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez defended C-18 as necessary to support Canadian journalists and news organizations, and regulate big tech companies.
"We're just saying to the tech giants, well, you have to consider that this has value and pay for that value — not more, not less [than] what's fair," Rodriguez told host Rosemary Barton.
Rodriguez said he hopes Meta negotiates with the government, and said big tech companies should accept more regulation.
"They're working as if there's no rules. It's a bit like the Wild West where these people can come here and do whatever they want," he said.
"That doesn't work like that in Canada, not in a democracy, and I cannot accept that a company like Meta comes here and threatens us, and threatens a sovereign country, and if we don't stand up for Canadians, who will?" he asked.
Google Canada said in a statement Thursday that none of its concerns about C-18 have been addressed, but that it's looking to work with the government on the law.
The Online News Act requires both companies to enter into agreements with news publishers to pay them for news content that appears on their sites if it helps the tech giants generate money.
But the legislation has prompted debate in Parliament and beyond about the government's role in supporting media and regulating tech giants.
A spokesperson for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre directed CBC to a tweet Poilievre posted Friday morning.
"There you have it. Step by step, the Trudeau government is deliberately getting in the way of what people can see and share online," Poilievre said in the tweet, which included a screenshot from Meta's news release.
Poilievre said in a tweet sent later Friday that he'd "repeal Trudeau's censorship laws and bring home free speech" if he becomes prime minister.
